1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining an air quality level by detecting an air quality in an accommodation space.
2. Related art of the Invention
Today, as office buildings as well as residences are enclosed at a higher airtight level, efficiency and energy saving in air conditioning have increased. On the other hand, however, carbon dioxide and various odors are accumulated as a result, and problems in human health this causes, while increasing discomfort by reduction of air quality in an accommodation space. As a means for dealing with such circumstances, various air conditioning apparatuses and air quality regulating apparatuses such as ventilators and air cleaners are being introduced.
However, an air quality determination apparatus used in a conventional air quality regulator merely determines air quality by reference to an initially predetermined condition, that is, a set value corresponding to plural temperature stages or humidity stages. Thus, the air quality regulator operated on the basis of such a determination results in providing an operation control only in accordance with the predetermined set value. It thus becomes almost impossible to obtain a control in response to actual changes of air quality in an accommodation space. Specifically, if air quality itself is changed by a variation of temperature and humidity in an accommodation space, discomfort to residents is affected as well. Particularly, in the case where odor is present, an air quality regulator is required which operates in consideration of both temperature and humidity, because it may be felt uncomfortable, when only the humidity is changed, even if it is comfortable in certain conditions of temperature and humidity. However, an effective determination against the influence of such temperature and humidity is a problem and is almost impossible to achieve by conventional air quality determination apparatus.